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The Saints were the worst defense in the history of the league last season, allowing a whopping 440+ yards per game, nearly 60 yards worse than the next-worst team. They had the worst run defense in the league, allowing over 147 yards a game on 5.2 yards a carry. Logically, they were also among the league's worst for giving up rushing TDs and long runs. But teams didn't run on the Saints because they had to be afraid of their pass defense. That was 2nd-worst in the league, giving up over 290 per game. They lagged near the bottom of the league in sacks but near the top in QB rating against, long passes allowed, and TD passes allowed. Sean Payton had barely returned from his Goodell-imposed exile before becoming unable to bear to look at the Saint defense any more. He ordered the whole thing blown up, canned Steve Spagnuolo and hired Rob Ryan to install a 3-4.
Ryan's got Brodrick Bunkley to man the nose, flanked by Will Smith and up-and-comer Cameron Jordan, but little pass rush threat from his LB corps, which looks like about eight 4-3 LBs who mostly can't get after the QB. I expect they try to salvage their free agency spending from last year by putting Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne in the middle. Junior Galette's got some pass rush game, but they lack an elite edge threat. That's why Mingo is a popular projection to the Saints in mock drafts, and I'm not inclined to vary for a change. He proved effective from the right side or the left side in college, smoked a sub-4.6 40 at the Combine and showed elite athleticism and explosion. If Ryan wants a chance to develop a Demarcus Ware-like superstar, here's your guy.
Drum roll please.... the RAMS are on the clock! And sorry, but this may take a while.
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